Unsung: Tia Chabot

Tia Chabot has seen the billing landscape evolve greatly during her 30 years working at law firms, but adapting to the changes is a challenge she enjoys. Now the billing manager at Gray Plant Mooty, Chabot acts as an integral part of the accounting and billing team while leading her staff of three with a hands-on style.

Chabot stays current with industry standards, helping the firm implement new practices such as electronic billing, alternative fee arrangements, third-party billing, and paperless processing. Since she joined Gray Plant Mooty about seven years ago, Chabot has implemented many improvements that create operating efficiencies, such as removing a step from the billing review process and making some of the steps electronic.

“I really like the challenges. It brings a whole level of keeping your mind young. It keeps you on your toes and it keeps the job interesting because you don’t know what new scenario you’ll come up with next,” says Chabot. “I want to meet clients’ needs and make sure everyone is happy with the end product.”

Chabot works well with both attorneys and support staff on her responsibilities, guided by her mission to meet the firm’s billing needs at its Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., offices. Her efforts extend to providing excellent customer service to clients, with Chabot communicating regularly with them about their bills or electronic billing systems.

As a staunch advocate for fast turnarounds, Chabot is an engaged and proactive manager who helps her team when work piles up. She either prioritizes their workload or takes on some of it herself—always keeping accuracy and quality top of mind. “I like working closely with attorneys to make sure things are correct before they go out the door, and I’m closely involved with clients to make sure we understand their needs,” Chabot says.

A grandmother of three and mother of two, Chabot and her family enjoy traveling and camping.